The right heart shadow is not visible on your patient's chest ...

[SO00]

The right heart shadow is not visible on your patient's chest radiograph. Which of the following pathologies may explain this?
 
  a. Right middle lobe pneumonia
  b. Right lung pneumothorax
  c. Bilateral emphysema
  d. Bleb in the right lower lobe

Question 2

In which of the following situations is obtaining a chest radiograph least useful?
 
  a. Following intubation
  b. Following placement of a central venous pressure line
  c. When the static pressure drops by 2 cm H2O during CMV
  d. When the patient's oxygenation status deteriorates for no known reason

[leannegxo]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
The structures visible on a chest radiograph are seen only when tissue of one density is next to tissue of another density. For example, the heart is visible as a soft tissue density in the middle of the chest because the lungs, which are primarily air density, normally surround it. If the chest on either side of the heart was filled with water (pulmonary consolidation or pleural effusion), the normal heart shadow would not be visible on the radiograph.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
The respiratory therapist needs to be familiar with the common clinical indications for obtaining a chest radiograph (Table 21-1).